I lost my Start Menu and Toolbar with my new Graphics Card

[bcarl314]

I just got a new 32MB nVidia PCI graphic card from eVGA for my computer and installed it last night.
My Computer:
OS: Dual Boot: WinXP Home / Linux RH9
Processor: P4 1.8 Ghz
RAM: 384 MB

When I installed the Linux driver, everything worked fine (although I did need to putz with my xf86config a little), then when I switched to Windows XP, it recognized my new hardware and installed the default driver and all was good except the graphic rendering in games (Civ III / Warcraft - not very graphic intensive games) was slower that it was before with my integrated graphics. So, I installed the new drivers I got with the Card. All went well and now I can run some pretty nice games without a delay, but for some reason, I lost my Start Menu, Toolbars and the system tray icons. They just don't display. I tried to uninstall the drivers, but can't figure out how. Anyone know what might be causing this and if there is a solution??? Is there some goofy setting in the BIOS I should check???

Thanks for your help.

[Jason]

the drivers are in device hardware menu from the properties of "my computer" the whole thing is probable in the registry and you would have to use some command to get the start menu back. You might want to go to the site where the card www.nvidia.com and get the newest drivers for it. If that doesn't work then use the registry to delete the key that takes off the startmenu.


Jason

[scroots]

do you not need to resize the screen area? is the start menu bar etc. completely missing i.e. not on the screen like it has been chopped off?

scroots

[bcarl314]

Jason, thanks I'm not too expienced with dealing with the registry, and I've heard that, well let's just say "bad things" can happen if you mess it up, can you let me know what I'd be looking for???

Scroot, the start menu is gon as in not displaying at all. I try to access it using the keyboard and nothing. (I tried WindowsKey -> Up arrow -> Enter , which should lauch the shutdown applet, but nothing happened, so I'm pretty sure it's gone all together.

Any ideas? I'm going to try to download the drivers this weekend.

Thanks

[scroots]

press Ctrl +Alt + Delete is explorer running?

sounds like you have a major problem if your start bar isn't there and it doesn't fuunction.

scroots

[bcarl314]

Yep, I can navigate. All the icons are there, my computer, my folders and desktop icons. I don't have any problems shutting down with Ctrl-atl-del. Just no Start menu and toolbar. :(

[Jason]

do you keep your computer well updated with the microsoft patches? That might be a step that needs to be taken aswell. I don't know which key you would need to delete, Mouse is the one who would...

Jason

[bcarl314]

Mouse, any thoughts????

As far as patches and updates, It's a new computer (bought it in April) so I can't imagine I'm that far behind.

Still looking for answers, I'll be sure to post if I find any. Thanks every for the help, please keep it coming.

I did notice that systray isn't running. Do they still have that on WinXP systems???

[Jason]

no matter when you buy the computer you need to run the updates almost immediately...they don't update the software except through the internet...so you will have to do that...go to http://www.microsoft.com and do update... especially for XP you need to get lots of patches...


Jason

[oracleguy]

It's actually WindowsUpdate.com

thats where you can get updates.

[tommysphone]

just a though (I have one every now and then)
:)

can you auto hide the start bar bit? If so, have you checked its not hidden.

[bcarl314]

tommy...

Yep, checked that. Last night I reconnected the monitor to my old integrated port, and I got the start menu back, which got me thinking (yep, been know to happen on a rare occasion) that may the intel extreme integrated stuff is interfering with my other card. So I searched MS to little avail. I did find something that told me that I needed to disable my integrated stuff. HOW DO I DO THAT??? Grr. I tried to uninstall it, but when I reboot XP finds it a reinstalles it. Any ideas????

[sage45]

Usually your integrated components can be disabled within the BIOS of the motherboard...

You can also look on the motherboard itself for either a dip-switch block or jumpers that can be used to disable your onboard video as well...

-sage-

[bcarl314]

All right, check this out. So I checked google and MS for an hour looking on how to disable my integrated video, and here's the solution.

Control Panel -> Administrative Tools ->Computer Management -> Device Drivers -> Display Adapters -> then right click on the intgrated display adapter and select disable.

Almost too damn easy. Grr, I hate it when I look and look and can't find anything, then the solution is something as simple as right clicking on something.

Sorry if any of you feel you wasted your time. I really appreciate your help.